Delta Flight 2348, which was flying from Minneapolis to Madison, Wisconsin, was in for a surprise. Pigeons forcefully attacked the flight, causing much hilarity to those on board. Soon after take-off, a pigeon was released in the cabin, making the aircraft an impromptu aviary. This surprise visitor was enough to have the crew return to the gate.
Tom Caw, a passenger on the fateful flight, captured the freak event on camera and posted the footage to Instagram. The clip features a confused common traveler in pursuit of a pigeon. He employs his coat as the bird buzzes about him. Things went south very quickly once the first pigeon was taken off the plane by ground staff.
“When I boarded Delta Flight 2348 at MSP tonight, I overheard another passenger tell a flight attendant there was a pigeon on the plane,” Caw remarked. As our flight taxied out for takeoff, a second pigeon even took flight. This unforeseen occurrence caused the aircraft to have to return to the gate for a third time. The pilot called the control tower and told them what was happening— a first for the tower personnel.
The pilot addressed the passengers on the intercom. He acknowledged there was a pigeon aboard and said he’d never had to deal with such a thing before.
“The pilot got on the mic and confirmed a pigeon was on the plane, and said he had no experience with this situation. Baggage handlers boarded and carried the pigeon off. People applauded. A young girl asked if she could pet it.” – Tom Caw
Ground crew were able to retrieve both birds safe and sound, dispelling panic among passengers. Caw humorously speculated on the birds’ motives, saying, “My guess is the pigeons were tired of flying and wanted snacks. They didn’t know this flight to MSN is too short for Delta to offer beverage/snack service.”
Though it was a tough start from all the initial turmoil, passengers were surprisingly undeterred by the uncommon occurrences. Delta Airlines extended their regret about the disruption the pigeons had caused. Yet when the incident unfolded, they promised everyone safety was their highest priority.
